Recently, a usage amount of a thermoelectric module capable of recovering waste heat discharged from an apparatus such as a vehicle using the Seebeck effect that generates an electromotive force by a temperature difference across a thermoelectric element has been increased. A conventional thermoelectric module includes an N-type thermoelectric element and a P-type thermoelectric element which are arranged alternately with opposite polarities. In particular, electrodes electrically connect the thermoelectric elements with each other and a bonding layer is interposed between the thermoelectric element and the electrode to bond the thermoelectric element and the electrode, and the like.
However, the thermoelectric element and the electrode generally have different coefficients of expansion. For example, when the thermoelectric element and the electrode are thermally expanded at different ratios during the use of the thermoelectric module the thermal stress acts on the bonding layer interposed between the thermoelectric element and the electrode. Accordingly, the conventional thermoelectric module suffers deterioration of the performance of the thermoelectric module or the thermoelectric module may not be frequently used since the bonding layer is damaged by the thermal stress.
The above information disclosed in this section is merely for enhancement of understanding of the background of the disclosure and therefore it may contain information that does not form the prior art that is already known in this country to a person of ordinary skill in the art.